TTXGP: Brammo Sets Track Record at Infineon

The California sun gods were in our favor this morning, as the rainy heavens over Infineon Raceway parted long enough to dry out the Sonoma track, and allow racing to commence under cloudy skies. After a thrilling ambulance race (Infineon Raceway had all its four-wheelers out drying the tarmac and racing line), Race Direction deemed the course fit for racing, and the slower-paced electrics were first on the card to try out the dryness of the track. Fielding three bikes for Race 2, we saw a return of Brammo, Moto Electra, and VOLT to the starting grid, as Ely Schless and his Proto Moto was a scratch for today’s event.

With such a large spread in the field, things sorted their way out much like on Saturday, with Brammo taking the early lead and never looking back. Thad Wolff made an impressive showing, but was no match for the faster Brammo Empulse RR. Meanwhile in the Formula TTX75 class, Kenyon Kluge rode to a solo victory with no other competitor fielding a 7.5 kWh machine.

Perhaps in response to some remarks by an unscrupulous blogger, Brammo put to rest any doubts about its efforts, as Steve Atlas set a track record for electric motorcycles on the Empulse RR. With a 1:55.150 race lap time, the Brammo team shaved nearly 19 seconds off his overall race time from yesterday. Breaking the record for electric motorcycles at Infineon with authority, Atlas posted 1:55 and 1:56 lap times throughout the race, setting a new bar in the TTXGP series.

Talking to Brammo’s Brian Wismann, he explained that the team swapped out the 180 Dunlop rear tire from yesterday, for a 160 tire. Brammo had been testing on the 160, but was unable up until today’s race to find one in the Dunlop truck that would hold air on the team’s rims. Dunlop was able to find one for today’s race though, which allowed Brammo to run a gearing setup they were more familiar with, and was much faster on the Empulse RR. In fact, all three bikes were quicker Sunday when compared to their Saturday afternoon times. Absent from the race was Ely Schless, who withdrew after completing the first race, having motor heating issues.

As with yesterday, the bikes of Lightning and Mission Motors were also scratches, both citing a lack of time to get their race bikes together in time for the first race of the TTXGP season.

Photo: Jensen Beeler / Asphalt & Rubber – Creative Commons – Attribution 3.0